Sunday, October 4, 2009

Guinean junta leader Captain Moussa Dadis Camara has vowed to fight any foreign intervention forces that would be deployed in the country.

Guinea opposition had requested external support following last week’s massacre of an estimated 200 civilians by junta forces.

The appeal was preceded by a similar call by the Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade at the UN General Assembly nearly a fortnight ago. President Wade said that such an intervention would help forestall an imminent political upheaval in Guinea.

President Wade, 83, widely seen as the ‘godfather’ of the Guinean junta leader, made the appeal at the UN following a day-long visit he and the Liberian

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had paid Capt Camara, in a bid to facilitate dialogue between the junta and the Guinean civilian opposition politicians.

“The situation in Guinea is volatile as tension is rife between the junta regime and the civilian politicians, and I believe an intervention force is needed immediately to forestall the situation from degenerating into a chaos,” President Wade, told his peers at the UN in New York.

But Capt Camara, in a head-strong reaction to both appeals at the weekend, told the press that he had seen no reason for foreign intervention.

Capt Camara argued that “there were no protagonists at the moment in the Guinean political landscape”.

“I am in full control of the Guinean state,” he said, acknowledging for the umpteenth time, however, that there was an army in the country that he did not have complete control over.

That is why, he went on, “I have agreed that an international and independent investigation must be conducted in Guinea in order to prove my innocence in the killing of civilians,” and to ensure that those guilty are punished.

He said calm had returned to the entire country and could therefore not see the reason why any intervention forces could be sent to Guinea.

Countries within the Mano River Union, including Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire and of which Guinea is also a member, were most likely to have been the first to dispatch forces to Guinea.

Senegalese President came to the rescue of Capt Dadis following his military takeover.

The neighbours’ intervention would likely have been followed by the conventional and standby forces of the Economic Community of West African States or ECOMOG, which had intervened in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Both the Ecowas and the UN are still following the developments in Guinea closely and would take cue from the Burkina Faso leader, Blaise Compaore, who has been named by his peers to broker a dialogue in Guinea,

President Compaore begins his mandate there tomorrow.

Taken hostage

In an earlier interview with the international press, Capt Camara said he had been taken hostage by the army on the one hand and the civilians, who wanted him to contest the presidency billed for February 2010.

Explaining further, he said, if he decided to step down at this moment, his colleagues in the army would interpret that to mean guilt and as such another military officer would certainly seize power. Such a scenario, he reasoned, would perpetuate the political stalemate in Guinea.

On the other hand, he said if he decided to back out of the political scene, the civilians agitating for him to contest the presidency under the group dubbed “Dadis Must Stay”, will translate his action as an outright betrayal and he would not like to be seen in that light.

Capt Dadis argued that it was in an attempt to counter-balance the situation, that he had decided that a government of national unity be formed to restore political dialogue.

But the Guinean opposition, united under the outfit Forces Vives, or “Active Forces”, have vehemently rejected the offer, arguing that such a move was tantamount to opening a dialogue with “a criminal and rogue regime”.

The opposition has vowed to maintain the pressure on the junta until it backs out of politics before elections could be held.

“Capt Dadis is bent on hoodwinking the local and international community with lies and false promises that were jeopardising the political process in the country. This will stop or else we will not relent in our struggle,” the opposition cried during an interview with the foreign media on Thursday.

Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount on the junta from the international community, including threat of sanctions.

From the local to the continental, the Fahamu Pan-African Fellowship (FPAF) program has a vision of nurturing African social justice leaders - generating contemporary, energetic, visionary and innovative thought and activism. FPAF is a one-year program that seeks to strengthen community based organisations and social movements across Africa by identifying individual community based activists with qualities of leadership and innovation, and providing them with hands-on work experience, training and development opportunities. The program aims to enhance the skills, knowledge and experience of community-based activists while increasing the effectiveness and professionalism of their affiliated organisations and movements.

Fellowship coordinatorFahamu is seeking a coordinator for its Pan-African Fellowship Program. The coordinator will be based in our Nairobi, Kenya office.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, the fellowship coordinator will be responsible for:• Developing curriculum for the Fellowship program and facilitating participatory workshops, seminars and other learning forums using diverse material and tools• Conducting briefing sessions for prospective fellows and developing fellowship application material• Identifying and coordinating the selection of host organisations, projects, fellows and mentors• Providing and coordinating fellows’ induction, monthly forums and seminars, evaluation and wrap-up workshops and seminars• Coordinating and maintaining consistent communication with fellows, host organisations, mentors and Fahamu• Moderating online discussions and forums for fellows for the continuous exchange of information, ideas, experiences, dialogue and resources• Coordinating the production of the book and video of fellows’ experiences• Providing regular updates and reports to multiple audiences on the fellowship program• Preparing financial and narrative reports at regular intervals• Fundraising, proposal writing and donor liaison for the program• Such other duties as may be required from time to time by mutual agreement You must:• Have at least five years experience working with social movements and community based organisations• Have demonstrable experience developing curriculum and training materials• Have demonstrable project leadership skills• Be highly organised and able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines• Have a demonstrable commitment to social justice and human rights in Africa• Have excellent inter-personal skills• Have excellent writing and communications skills• Be fluent in English. Fluency in Kiswahili is also preferred.• Be able to work with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences• Have budget and financial management experience• Be a self-starter, able to take initiative, and work effectively as part of a team• Be proficient in the use of word processing and spreadsheet software• Experience of using multi-media tools for multiple purposes is a plus• Be based in Nairobi with the ability to travel if and when necessary

This position is for an initial two year contract period.Please send your CV, cover letter and names of three referees to: winnie@fahamu.orgApplications close 17th December 2009. Applications received after this date will not be considered. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.Position start date: 18th January 2010This is a full time position. Competitive salary commensurate with experience.Fahamu is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About Fahamu:Fahamu is a pan-African organisation that supports the movement for social justice in Africa. We work with social movements that address the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalised in society. Fahamu seeks to nurture these movements to become significant agents for change by enhancing individual, collective and organisational leadership, skills and knowledge, as well as by creating platforms and networks for effective advocacy, enhancing the use of diverse and innovative tactics and strategies for change, and amplifying Africa-centred voices, perspectives and solutions.

Submitted by Kemi Bello

2. Oxfam is taking in applications for OFXAM INTERNATIONAL YOUTH PARTNERSHIP, open to people below the age of 25. Deadline: october 2010. For more details please go to www.oiyp.oxfam.orgSubmitted by Yvonne Laruni.

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Welcome to the MIVOICE blog, a virtual space where MILEAD Fellows and other guest bloggers can explore their freedom of expression. We welcome comments and suggestions and we are excited to join hands in moving Africa forward, one word and one action at a time.